BOREAL OWL, SPRUCE GROUSE, AND WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL IN THE AHTANUM
18-19 OCTOBER 2008

Tweeters,

We finally blundered into a Spruce Grouse (after six hikes this summer and
fall in this part of the Cascades) on logging roads in the North Fork
Ahtanum Creek. Go west from Yakima on Ahtanum Road to Tampico. Then right 10
miles to the end of the pavement. From here go right (west) on North Fork
Ahtanum Road. Then to a road bearing left 1 mile (past) west of the Gray
Rock Trail trailhead. Cross the creek on the stout bridge. Go left and
uphill and search the roads in this area. It was a beautiful male (Michael
Schroeder, looking at the photos, said a 1st-year male) gathering grit on a
logging road in the Cougar Flats area. On this day-long hike we also spotted
two Pileated Woodpeckers in the Western Larches, now beautifully golden.
Otherwise, there were relatively few birds on our trek though we found
more-than-usual numbers of Varied Thrushes (15). Sooty Grouse have suddenly
"appeared;" we're not sure how they eluded us on our other trips in the
area. We flushed
eight all in regenerating clearcuts or at the rocky base of talus slopes.

The night of the 18th we camped at Clover Flats Campground on the upper
Middle Fork of the Ahtanum. After dinner we easily called in a Boreal Owl as
it became dark. It was a clear and cold starry night, and very cold!

The following morning we awoke we before dawn and walked the frozen meadow
edge at Clover Flats, kind of hoping for a Great Gray Owl (yes I know a LONG
shot). We saw nor heard any owls, but two small groups of White-winged
Crossbills reveal this waif from the North Country is still feasting on the
Engelmann Spruce seeds in the tall trees there.

Species list:

Cooper's Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
SPRUCE GROUSE - 1
Sooty Grouse - 8
BOREAL OWL - 1
Northern Flicker - 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 2
Gray Jay - 3
Steller's Jay - 2
Clark's Nutcracker - 1
Common Raven - 5
Black-capped Chickadee - 3 (4,000 feet elevation on Middle Fork in aspens)
Mountain Chickadee - 10 (A couple on hike, balance as above)
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 6 (One on hike, balance as above)
Brown Creeper - 2
Winter Wren - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 20 (15 on hike, balance as above)
American Robin - 1
Varied Thrush - 12
Red Crossbill - 2
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL - 10

Andy and Ellen Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net
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